EIS students are in great hands for the 2023-2024 academic year, following the appointment of Kaythlien Joe to the role of Student Council President. 

The friendly and community-spirited 16-year-old is a familiar face to many. During the five years she has been at EIS, Kaythlien has campaigned tirelessly for the underprivileged, excelled in sports, and made her mark as an inspirational leader. Now she is poised to lead the school into an exciting new year chock-full of sensational events and activities.

Connecting the school community
“The role of the Student Council is to bring unity between students, parents and teachers in order to meet the needs of the student body, and to create enjoyable events and initiatives to raise school spirit,” says Kaythlien, who originally hails from Kerala, India. “The Student Council provides a voice for EIS students and takes action to ensure they see see change and create fond memories. This year, the Student Council will also be responsible for recognising students who have demonstrated growth or expertise in academics or extracurricular activities so that students feel valued and recognised for their efforts.”

Natural born leader
Student Council President is a role Kaythlien is ideally equipped for. Since starting at EIS five years ago, she has made the most of everything on offer, and taken every opportunity to strengthen her leadership capabilities.

“Since sixth grade I’ve wanted to be the EIS Student Council President, and in order to work my way up to this position I’ve embraced every leadership opportunity. I served as the Middle School President for a year, was Class President for four years and House Captain for two. Through these positions I got to know the majority of students and staff, learnt more about the academic and extracurricular aspects of EIS, and developed the skills to be a balanced, accomplished and effective Student Council President.”

Village life
Attending a school that is welcoming, supportive and inspiring has been pivotal to Kaythlien’s journey, and she couldn’t be prouder to be an EIS student.

“If I were to describe EIS in one word, it would be a village - a village where everyone knows each other and helps each other grow, a place where students come not only to educate themselves about the world but also to have the chance to showcase their own unique talents. 

“Thanks to EIS, I’ve discovered new abilities and been given the support to develop them. This has enabled me to succeed in becoming Student President.”

Compassionate and community-spirited
Two words that perhaps best describe Kaythlien are compassionate and community-spirited. She is passionate about helping those in need and has dedicated much time and effort into assisting those less fortunate.

“Organising school events that give back to the community are among my most treasured EIS memories. I organised a field trip for my homeroom, where we went to an orphanage, played with the children there and donated toys, clothes and daily necessities. I’ve also been involved with Blue Dragon in Hanoi, which aids children in escaping situations like forced labour, slavery and sexual trafficking and provides them with housing and other essentials for a healthy life.”

Kaythlien was also the founder of Boxes of Hope, a fundraiser that saw students fill hundreds of boxes of toys and clothing, which were donated to underprivileged kids in Ho Chi Minh City.

“We raised 200 more boxes than we planned and were able to donate them to two different orphanages! All of these initiatives enable students to give back to the community outside of school and teach them the value of giving back in the real world,” Kaythlien explains. 

A proud Orca
Kaythlien describes herself as a “proud Orca”, (the EIS athletics mascot), and there’s certainly no denying she’s a great sportswoman. Previously awarded Middle School Athlete of the Year, she has played school volleyball, football, basketball and badminton. 

“I love athletics and am very competitive. I especially like volleyball – I’ve been playing in the school’s U19 team since Grade 6. I’m assistant coach for our U15 girls team and I also play for the Saigon Volleyball Club.” 

The power of collaborative leadership
According to Kaythlien the secret ingredient to successful leadership is bringing everyone along on the journey and appreciating their value.

“Leadership for me is about introducing something new while also involving individuals from different backgrounds to build on different ideas. It’s about using effective communication and collaboration to transform ideas into reality. Whenever I’m excited about an idea, I share it with my team, and it always turns out better because of effective collaboration.”

EIS has equipped Kaythlien with the skills and capabilities to be a great leader, and these qualities will stand her in excellent stead not only this year as Student Council President, but well into the future.

“I’m incredibly thankful to the EIS community for its support and assistance in helping me host countless events and launch new clubs, as this has allowed me to practice and develop my passion for leadership. Taking action, making changes and being a voice for my peers are what drive me to be a good leader. These experiences have taught me a great deal and have helped shape my future plans of pursuing entrepreneurship. I am excited and humbled to serve as your Student Council President for this academic year.”